Santa Barbara Police Identify Homeless Man Who Died in Culvert Fire

Santa Barbara police have released the name of a homeless man who died in a Dec. 5 fire that broke out in a drainage culvert under Highway 101. Candelario Martinez Ceja, 39, died of smoke inhalation, police said. (Urban Hikers / Noozhawk photo)

Firefighters discovered a body early Monday after dousing a fire in a drainage conduit under Highway 101 in Santa Barbara.

Crews were dispatched shortly after 2 a.m. to a report of smoke near the Salinas Street onramp to the northbound freeway, according to Engineer Kevin Corbett of the Santa Barbara City Fire Department dispatch.

They found smoke and flames coming from a 4-foot-high drainage pipe, according to Santa Barbara City Fire Department dispatch.

Personnel on scene told Noozhawk the body was found about 100 feet inside the pipe, which was has a black PVC lining and serves a development on the inland side of the freeway.

Details on the person found dead were not released.

Two northbound lanes of the freeway were shut down for several hours, Corbett said, and as of 7:45 a.m., only one remained closed.

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